If You Only Read One Non-Fiction Book This Year. . . Choose This One

If you only read a single non-fiction book this year (aside from the Bible), I suggest that it be Jennie Allen’s new release from Thomas Nelson Publishers. Yes, it was THAT good. “Made For This: 40 Days to Living Your Purpose” is the first book I’ve read by this incredible author, but now I want to get my hands on everything she’s written! “Made For This” is not just a regular book, rather it is “a 40-day interactive journey, a step-by-step process to guide you in answering life’s ultimate question.” In a workbook-style format with daily reading followed by exercises, journaling questions, Scripture reading, and more, this book is unique and powerful. If you let it, it can also be life-changing.

“Why am I here?” We’ve all asked this question at various points in our lives, and discovering the answer will look different for everyone. But, one thing that everyone’s journey should have in common is surrendering to God’s plans and allowing Him to use our dreams and passions for His greater purposes – the ones He planned for us long ago. This book helps us dive into this quest of “God-honoring adventure”, beginning by praying what Jenny calls The Anything Prayer. This is just the start of the journey, as our next steps take us down paths of answering our restless feelings, accepting permission to dream, exploring our ‘threads’ of places and people and passions, studying Joseph’s story of surrender and trust in Genesis, and soooo much more.

The daily readings of “Made For This” are powerful and succinct, but the greatest attribute of this book was, for me, the questions to respond to. It is an exciting and revealing process, to put it mildly. . . As I just flipped through the book when I first got it, I thought the questions looked interesting but not especially relevant or necessary for my life – but I was so very wrong! As I sat down after reading the first chapter and began to honestly and thoughtfully try to answer the questions, I realized just how extremely relevant and profound and complex they actually were, (even for me, who rarely has the patience to work through the study questions of non-fiction books).

If you have ever asked the question “Why am I here?” (and really, who hasn’t?) and are ready to take the next steps of pursuing God’s plans for you, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. To be honest, I am not finished reading it yet because I am taking my time and trying to get the most from it that I can; that is a time-consuming process that I feel should not be rushed. It is deep and powerful and thought-provoking, it is unlike anything I’ve ever read before, and I want to share it with everyone I know (but I’d like them to all find their own copies, so I don’t have to share mine!). So, if you are ready to begin a journey that just may change the direction of your life and deepen your relationship with our Lord, well, what are you waiting for? Find a copy of “Made For This: 40 Days to Living Your Purpose” and allow Jenny to help you get started.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.